Variable rotation of paddle for finisher

Abstract

An paddle apparatus for a finisher includes a rotatable shaft and a paddle coupled to the rotatable shaft. The paddle is rotatable in a forward direction to compile a recording medium toward an end of a register tray of the finisher, and is rotatable in a reverse direction to apply a downward force to the compiled recording medium. An amount that the paddle is rotated in the reverse direction can be varied based on a height of the compiled recording medium in the register tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A paddle apparatus for a finisher, comprising:
 a rotatable shaft; and 
 a paddle coupled to the rotatable shaft,
 the paddle rotatable in a forward direction to compile a recording medium toward an end of a register tray of the finisher, and 
 the paddle rotatable in a reverse direction, by a controlled variable amount determined based on a height of the compiled recording medium placed in the register tray, to apply a downward force to the compiled recording medium. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 for a first height of the compiled recording medium, the paddle is rotated in the reverse direction a first amount, and 
 for a second height of the compiled recording medium, the paddle is rotated in the reverse direction a second amount, the second amount being less than the first amount when the second height is greater than the first height. 
 
     
     
       3. The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein for compiling the recording medium, the paddle is to be rotated in the forward direction to compile the recording medium toward the end of the register tray a plurality of times, and the paddle is to be rotated in the reverse direction less than the plurality of times. 
     
     
       4. The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the paddle is rotatable in the forward direction to compile the recording medium toward the end of the register tray at a first predetermined speed, and the paddle is rotatable in the reverse direction at a second predetermined speed which is less than the first predetermined speed. 
     
     
       5. The paddle apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein during compiling the recording medium, a height of the recording medium when the paddle contacts the recording medium during a first rotation of the paddle in the forward direction to compile the recording medium toward the end of the register tray is less than the height of the recording medium when the paddle contacts the recording medium during rotation of the paddle in the reverse direction to apply the downward force to the compiled recording medium. 
     
     
       6. A finisher, comprising:
 an input port to receive a recording medium; and 
 a compiler section to receive the recording medium transported from the input port along a path within the finisher and to perform a finishing operation with respect to the recording medium, the compiler section including:
 a register tray, 
 a rotatable shaft, and 
 a paddle coupled to the rotatable shaft,
 the paddle rotatable in a forward direction to compile the recording medium toward an end of the register tray, and 
 the paddle rotatable in a reverse direction, by a controlled variable amount determined based on a height of the compiled recording medium placed in the register tray, to apply a downward force to the compiled recording medium. 
 
 
 
     
     
       7. The finisher of  claim 6 , further comprising a controller to determine the height of the compiled recording medium based on at least one of a number of recording media placed in the register tray, a thickness of the recording medium, or a type of the recording medium. 
     
     
       8. The finisher of  claim 6 , further comprising a controller to determine an amount the paddle is to be rotated in the reverse direction based on at least one of a number of recording media placed in the register tray or a thickness of the recording medium. 
     
     
       9. The finisher of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an exit roller to receive the recording medium transported along a path from the input port and to discharge the recording medium to the compiler section; 
 an exit roller sensor to generate a signal when a recording medium is when transported from the exit roller to the compiler section; and 
 a controller to receive the signal generated by the exit roller sensor, to determine a number of recording media placed on the register tray based on the signal, and to determine an amount of rotation of the paddle in the reverse direction based on the number of recording media. 
 
     
     
       10. The finisher of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a driving source to drive rotation of the rotatable shaft; 
 a machine readable storage to store a lookup table which includes a correspondence between the height of the compiled recording medium placed in the register tray and an amount of rotation of the paddle in the reverse direction; and 
 a controller to determine the amount of rotation of the paddle in the reverse direction by referencing the lookup table and to transmit a control signal to control the driving source to rotate the rotatable shaft in the reverse direction by the determined amount of rotation of the paddle. 
 
     
     
       11. The finisher of  claim 6 , further comprising a controller to selectively rotate the paddle in the reverse direction during compiling of the recording medium based on at least one of a type of the recording medium or a thickness of the recording medium. 
     
     
       12. The finisher of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a driving source to drive rotation of the rotatable shaft; and 
 a controller to control the driving source to rotate the rotatable shaft in the reverse direction by a first amount for a first height of the compiled recording medium, and to control the driving source to rotate the rotatable shaft in the reverse direction by a second amount for a second height of the compiled recording medium, the second amount being less than the first amount when the second height is greater than the first height. 
 
     
     
       13. The finisher of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a sensor to determine a height of the compiled recording medium and to generate a signal indicating the height of the compiled recording medium; and 
 a controller to receive the signal generated by the sensor indicating the height of the compiled recording medium, and to determine an amount the paddle is to be rotated in the reverse direction based on the signal. 
 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory machine readable storage comprising instructions that when executed cause at least one processor of a finisher to:
 control a driving source of the finisher, based on job information relating to a recording medium to be processed by the finisher, to rotate a rotatable shaft in a compiling section of the finisher in a forward direction such that a paddle coupled to the rotatable shaft compiles the recording medium in a register tray of the finisher; and 
 control the driving source, based on the job information, to rotate the rotatable shaft in a reverse direction by a controlled variable amount based on a height of the compiled recording medium in the register tray, such that the paddle applies a downward force to the compiled recording medium. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory machine readable storage of  claim 14 , wherein the non-transitory machine readable storage further comprises instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to:
 determine the height of the compiled recording medium in the register tray based on the job information, the job information including at least one of a number of recording media to be processed by the finisher, a type of the recording medium, a thickness of the recording medium, or an amount of ink content on the recording medium.